WASHINGTON, DC -- November 15, 2011 -- It has been the cause of infamous international foodborne
disease outbreaks and yet it is the most studied bacterium in science, an
essential part of the human digestive tract, and a backbone of the biotech
industry. To enhance public
understanding of the bacterium Escherichia
coli, the American Academy of Microbiology brought together the nation’s
leading experts to consider and answer some of the most frequently asked
questions about this multifaceted microorganism.

“The story of E. coli,
what we are trying to tell in this report, is really much larger than just its
role as a pathogen. It’s been such a large component of research for so long –
so much of what we know about biology has come from studying E. coli,” says Michael Doyle of the
University of Georgia Center for Food Safety, a member of the steering
committee.

The report, entitled FAQ
– E.coli: Good, Bad and Deadly is based on the deliberations of 13 of the
nation’s leading experts who met for one day in September 2011 to develop clear
answers to frequently asked questions regarding the role
of E. coli in scientific research,
human health and foodborne disease.

Some of the questions considered by the report are:

What is E.
coli anyway?

How has E.
coli contributed to our understanding of biology?

What does naturally occurring E. coli in our GI tract do?

What is the difference between “good” E. coli that inhabits our GI tract and
the “bad” E. coli that makes us sick?

Why does E.
coli make some people sick and not others?

How does E.
coli become pathogenic?

How does our food become contaminated with E. coli?

What steps are being taken to protect our food
from contamination by pathogenic E. coli?

What types of food are most commonly associated
with E. coli, and why do there seem
to be more cases of contamination recently?

Most answers begin with a simple paragraph summarizing what
is known, followed by a more detailed explanation. In addition, spread throughout the report are
sidebar boxes discussing issues related to the questions such as a list of
Nobel Prizes awarded for work done on E.
coli and a discussion of toxins created by the bacterium.

FAQ – E. coli: Good,
Bad and Deadly is the latest offering in a series of reports designed to
provide a rapid response to emerging issues.
Traditionally Academy reports are based on multi-day colloquia after which the final report can
take up to a year to develop. The FAQ
series are based on single-day meetings focused on specific questions after
which a final report is published in 2-3 months.

“The Academy FAQ
reports explain complex microbiological problems in a timely, balanced format
that is easily understandable by the public, the media and policy makers,” says
Stanley Maloy of San Diego State University, who moderated the colloquium.

The AmericanAcademy of Microbiology
is the honorific leadership group of the American Society for
Microbiology. The mission of the Academy
is to recognize scientific excellence, as well as foster knowledge and
understanding in the microbiological sciences.
A full list of Academy colloquia reports can be found at http://academy.asm.org/colloquia. For more information about the American
Society for Microbiology, visit http://archive.asm.org.